Schwabian Maultaschen

Dough:

• 3 Eggs
• 4 TBL water
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour

Filling:

• 1 lb spinach (or one 10 oz package frozen), cooked, finely chopped, and well-drained.
• ¾ to 1 cup minced beef, pork, or chicken
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 2 to 4 slices white bread, with crust
• ½ cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• nutmeg (optional)
• 4 eggs

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 TBL water (for sealing edges of noodle pockets)

Beat eggs with water and salt. Stir in 2 cups of the flour until smooth. Gradually work in the remaining flour until the dough is no longer stick. Knead on a floured surface, working in more flour as necessary to form a stiff dough.
Roll dough into this sheets. Cut into 3-inch squares with a knife or 3-inch circles with a scalloped cookie cutter or the rim of a glass.

For the filling, mix the spinach, chopped, cooked meat, and the onion. Dip the bread slices in the milk, and squeeze out excess milk. Knead bread into spinach mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the eggs, mixing well.

Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each pocket. Moisten the edge of the noodle with the egg-yolk and water mixture. Fold in half and seal the edges by crimping firmly with your fingers or with the tines of a fork.

Refridgerate the pockets for 2 hours before cooking.

Boil the pockets for 10 minutes in salted water. Serve in chicken or beef broth, or brown them in garlic butter and serve with toasted breadcrumbs.